This week's Rare Bird Alert

A red-breasted nuthatch, described as “not a super common one to this area” by Angie Krysiak, program director and naturalist at the Massabesic Audubon Center, perches on a branch at the center in Auburn. (DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER)

This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, April 17.

Two clay-colored sparrows were seen along Western Avenue in Henniker on April 10.

A large flock of more than 600 common redpolls was reported from Strafford on April 10, a flock of 10 was reported from Lempster on the 15th, and a flock of 20 was reported from Hancock on the 13th.

Two Iceland gulls were seen at Rockingham Park in Salem on April 13, and one was seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on the 14th.

A snow goose was seen at the Rockingham Park racetrack in Salem on April 17, and a brant was seen at Hampton Beach State Park on April 14.

Reports from the Connecticut River area in Hinsdale during the past week included three Bonaparte's gulls, three red-necked grebes, and a long-tailed duck on April 10, two red-breasted mergansers, 1,500 tree swallows, four barn swallows, several yellow-rumped warblers, a pine warbler, and a palm warbler on the 11th, and a red-throated loon on the 13th.

A pair of northern shovelers, and a pair of gadwall were reported from Horseshoe Pond in Concord on April 14.

Four northern shovelers were seen at the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on April 16, and 101 lesser scaup were tallied there on the 14th.

An American wigeon was seen at the Richmond Conservation Land in Orford on April 11.

There was a pair of blue-winged teal seen at Powderhouse Pond in Exeter on April 14.

Three American coots were seen in World End Pond in Salem on April 13.

An American bittern was seen in Salem on April 15, and one was reported from Lyme on the 16th.

A glossy ibis was seen at Merrymeeting Marsh in Alton on April 16, and one was reported from over the ocean from Seabrook on the 14th.

A great egret was seen in Reed's Marsh in Orford on April 10 and 11, and 23 snowy egrets were reported from the coast on April 17.

Several Virginia rails were reported from Portsmouth on April 16.

Four piping plovers were seen at Hampton Beach State Park, and 17 purple sandpipers, and 63 sanderlings were reported from Rye Harbor State Park, all on April 15.

Two fish crows were seen in Salem on April 15, and two fish crows and a blue-gray gnatcatcher were seen at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye on the 17th.

A Louisiana waterthrush was reported from Westmoreland on April 14, one was reported from Epping on the 15th, and a Louisiana waterthrush and a blue-headed vireo were reported from Penacook on April 17.

A vesper sparrow was reported from Hancock on April 14, and one was seen in Lebanon on the 10th.

Several fox sparrows were reported during the past week.

Three eastern towhees were reported from the NH Audubon's Ponemah Bog Sanctuary on April 17.

Five rusty blackbirds were reported from Merrimack on April 14.

Three merlins, more than 10 broad-winged hawks, and a number of other migrating raptors were observed during the past week.

This message is also available by phone recording: call 224-9909 and press 2 as directed or ask to be transferred. If you have seen any interesting birds recently, you can leave a message at the end of the recording or send your sightings to the RBA via e-mail at: birdsetc@nhaudubon.org. Please put either "bird sighting" or "Rare Bird Alert" in the subject line and be sure to include your mailing address and phone number. The RBA is also available on-line at the New Hampshire Audubon web site, www.nhaudubon.org.